Typical optical assemblies may include multiple piece parts assembled together such as a laser mounted to a submout which in turn is sitting on a cooler or within a hermetic package. At a final step, the assembly is aligned to a fiber stub in a receptacle. To absorb offset between the receptacle and the optical assembly, thermal pads may be placed between the assembly and an outside shell of a optical receiver or transmitter. In addition to providing room to align the receptacle and the optical assembly, the thermal pads also establish a thermal connection between the assembly and the shell which permits heat to be carried away from the assembly.
To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially utilized on other embodiments without specific recitation.